Flight time limitations: Deadhead transportation: airplanes

When an airline transports you as a crew member to or from where you'll begin or end a flight assignment (called "deadhead transportation"), that travel time doesn't count as rest. This means if you're scheduled for 10 hours of rest but spend 2 hours deadheading during that period, you haven't actually received 10 hours of rest—you've only received 8.

This regulation matters because it protects against fatigue by ensuring rest periods provide actual rest, not just time sitting in an airplane cabin as a passenger. Airlines must account for deadhead transportation time when scheduling crew rest periods. For example, if you finish a flight in Chicago and deadhead back to your base in Dallas, that deadhead flight cuts into any rest period that follows. The airline must provide the required rest time *in addition to* whatever time you spend deadheading.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*